Sarasota Update: Brian Matusz, Nick Markakis, Cliff Lee & More

Ever planned a trip specifically to visit a ballpark or other athletic facility? If so, you might enjoy Stadium Journey, where writers review and rate their experiences at venues nationwide based on factors including atmosphere, food and beverage, fans, and ease of access to the location.

Here's a portion of Stadium Journey's favorable take on the refurbished Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota.

It's all-but-brand-new, so what do you expect? The seats are immaculate (fun fact: every seat in the house was brought in from Camden Yards, refurbished, and installed), every detail is gleaming, and the landscaping both inside and out is well-maintained. The stadium itself is a little out of the way for those wanting to go to downtown Sarasota and the beach areas, but otherwise, it's pretty close to perfect.

The scoreboard in right-center is large, easy to read, and even includes oriole-shaped weather veins on-top. The audio system is definitely audible; loud enough to hear over the crowds, but not enough to cause your ear drums to implode.

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Even though it was built in 1989, a renovation was badly needed to keep Ed Smith Stadium a viable option for Major League teams. Thankfully, the Orioles organization were open enough to make their own, custom upgrades to this park. They obviously put a lot of care and thoughtfulness into the redesign, and it shows in every minute detail.

Sarasota now has a stadium they can be proud of again; since the team isn't going anywhere for a while, you'll definitely have a chance to see this new jewel in the crown of the Grapefruit League. Come on down and see the new Ed Smith; it shines brightest in March.

And here are some recent action photos from inside Ed Smith -